George King
Suffolk

We are now concluding our live coverage after the body of a child has been found in a pond after an extensive search which lasted more than 24 hours.

Noah Woods was reported missing from Brantham, Suffolk, at about 15:00 BST on Tuesday.

In CCTV footage captured in the hour before he vanished, he could be seen playing at a playground on Merriam Close.

The youngster became separated from a relative after reportedly running off down an alleyway towards a new housing estate.

The alarm was raised prompting a multi-agency response led by Suffolk Police and aided by search helicopters and other emergency services.

In what was described as a "heartwarming" show of community, 1,300 volunteers joined in the search for Noah.

Earlier today, specialist divers from the Metropolitan Police began searching nearby Decoy Pond.

Image source, Family handout

This afternoon, Supt Tom Pearse confirmed a body had been discovered in Decoy Pond, which is about 0.2 miles (320m) away from where Noah was last seen.

Formal identification has yet to take place but the family of Noah has been informed.

When addressing the media on Wednesday evening, Supt Pearse said: "As a parent myself, I completely understand why people would want to help.

"Such a response is one that typifies the strong sense of community and the heartwarming nature of Suffolk people that make the county such a special place."

To read more about this story click here.

George King
BBC Suffolk

During his address to the media, Supt Pearse said that, as a parent himself, he had been touched by the outpouring of support offered by the community.

"Police dive teams this afternoon have sadly recovered the body of a child from Decoy Pond in Brantham," he said.

"Formal identification has yet to take place but the family of Noah Woods have been informed of this development.

"The discovery of the body is currently being treated as not suspicious but unexplained. The coroner will be informed of this development

“First and foremost our thoughts are with Noah’s family and all who knew him.

“Since Noah was reported as missing vast number of our officers and staff have been deployed in numerous functions in the search for Noah and support for his family.

"We’ve been supported by the National Police Air Service, Suffolk Hazardous Area Response Team, Suffolk Lowland Search and Rescue, Environment Agency, HM Coastguard, Fire and Rescue Service and the ambulance service.

"We have been overwhelmed by the outpouring of public support, people putting on their boots and helping us search.

“As a parent myself, I completely understand why people would want to help and such a response is one that typifies the strong sense of community and the heartwarming nature of Suffolk people that make the county such a special place.

"I am sure you appreciate the family now need time, space and privacy and I thank you for your understanding in this.”

A body has been found in the search for missing Noah Woods, police have confirmed.

Supt Tom Pearse says dive teams recovered the body of a child from Decoy Pond.

Three-year-old Noah disappeared yesterday afternoon at about 15:00 BST after playing in a playground in Brantham, Suffolk.

He was said to have become separated from a relative as they left the area after reportedly running off down an alleyway and out of sight.

At a press conference this evening, Supt Pearse said a body believed to be that of Noah had been found.

He said it was being treated as not suspicious but unexplained.

In last 27 hours extensive search efforts have taken place in the hope of locating him safe and well, with thousands of volunteers working alongside emergency services.

According to our reporter Charlie Jones, who is at Brantham Leisure Centre, many of those who had helped the search were in tears as the news that a body had been found was announced.

She added: "Police have had nothing but praise for the community response here, with at least 1,300 members of the public turning up to search for the missing boy.

"This was not the outcome that anyone was hoping for."

Supt Pearse said: “First and foremost our thoughts are with Noah’s family and all who knew him. I am sure you appreciate the family now need time, space and privacy and I thank you for your understanding in this.”

Formal identification has yet to take place but Noah's family have been informed of the development.

Volunteers have been asked by Suffolk Police to avoid the field around Decoy Pond.

According to the police, officers want to conduct a search and need the area to be “sterile”.

A spokesperson from Met Police said: "A specialist diving team at the Met Police has been deployed to support Suffolk Police with the ongoing searches for missing boy Noah Woods."

Image source, PA

Image source, PA

Image source, PA

Brantham Parish Council has issued a plea for bottled water and soft drinks for those supporting the search.

It came after the council had earlier asked people to stop donating refreshments, saying it had been "inundated".

"If you’re able to donate, please bring them to Brantham Village Hall or Brantham Leisure Centre, where they can be distributed to those out searching," it said, in a new statement.

"Thank you for the incredible community support."

Charlie Jones
in Brantham

Image source, Charlie Jones/BBC

Jessica Gammons, a mother-of-two from Kelvedon, in Essex, has just got back from a search and will be heading back out shortly.

She said she felt compelled to come down - despite being heavily pregnant - because her son, like Noah, is three-years-old.

“I kept thinking to myself 'if this was my son, I’d want everyone possible to help'," she said.

“It’s such sad situation, I can’t stop thinking about him.”

Nick Johnson
In Brantham

A helicopter from HM Coastguard has been hovering over the river estuary near Brantham for the past 20 minutes.

Flight data shows it left Manston Airport in Kent and has since been circling over the Brantham area.

Zoie O'Brien

Image source, Zoie O'Brien

Police officers are continuing to patrol the area and carry out door-to-door inquiries.

Many volunteers are still arriving and a registration system has been put in place so the search can be more effectively coordinated.

George King
BBC Suffolk

Divers from the Metropolitan Police have been called in to search a fishing lake, Suffolk Police has confirmed.

Decoy Pond is about 0.2 miles (320m) away from where Noah was last seen at the Merriam Close Playground.

Loraine Crook, 72, runs the box office at the Manifest Theatre, in Manningtree.

She said it felt like a “really big thing” when she heard that a three-year-old boy had gone missing and everybody at her choir practice was “devastated”.

“We're all either parents or grandparents and when a child goes missing, we feel it all more keenly than an adult,” she said.

“Children seem so defenceless.”

Image source, Jodie Halford/BBC

Richard Daniel
Reporting from Brantham and East Bergholt

Image source, Richard Daniel/BBC

Laura Barham, from Ipswich, and her sister Sophie Stoker, from Harwich, Essex, said they felt they could not just sit at home and do nothing.

“He is just a little boy who is lost and frightened,” said Barham.

“We've all got young family members and you just feel like you need to do something to help them search, because I can't imagine the torment they’re going through.

“We’ve been looking anywhere where a little one might sneak into and crawl under - every little gap we can find.”

Sophie has a three-year-old son and said she hoped the community would come together in a similar way were he to go missing.

“I'd want the same if it was him, [for people] to come together,” she said.

Jodie Halford
Reporting from Manningtree

Image source, Jodie Halford/BBC

Jon Abbott, the vice-chairman of the Manifest Theatre in Manningtree, Essex, has opened the doors of the venue for anyone involved in the search who may be in need of a rest or refreshments.

The 64-year-old told the BBC: “If they come this way, they're more than welcome to come in, put their feet up for a while, charge phones, go to the loo, have tea or coffee.

“It is heartwarming to see how people have come out to search, even from outside of the area.

“We just want to be part of helping the search for poor little Noah.”

Image source, Jamie Niblock/BBC

Supt Tom Pearse provided journalists with an update on the investigation earlier, here is his statement in full:

“It has now been around 24 hours since Noah was reported as missing to us and we are doing everything we can to find him.

“We are extremely grateful for the support shown by the public. If you are helping please report into the co-ordination centre to ensure the search continues to be done in a systematic and co-ordinated fashion.

“This will ensure we can carefully plan and take account of people supporting the search.

“We politely ask people to avoid open waters and railways – these are areas that require specialist and professional expertise. We also ask that personal drones are not used as these can interfere with specialist search equipment.

“There may also be times when officers may need to restrict access to certain areas or move away from search locations.

“Please do not be offended if this happens; it is necessary to allow us to carry out our inquiries and search activity as effectively as possible.”

He went on to add that, while police have received a number of calls about children’s toys and hats, Noah was not carrying anything or wearing a hat when he went missing.

Charlie Jones
in Brantham

Here at Brantham Leisure Centre, hundreds of volunteers have gathered to help in the search for missing Noah, with people travelling from as far as Hampshire and Birmingham to lend a hand.

Brantham Parish Council says at least 1,000 volunteers have helped so far in the search for Noah, and police say the little boy’s family are blown away by the support.

The mood here is determined and hopeful, with volunteers preparing to head out again and help with the search.

Volunteers say they will not rest until the little boy is found.

Richard Daniel
in Brantham

Image source, Richard Daniel/BBC

Carmel Martin, from East Bergholt, Suffolk, says she has been part of the search team looking for Noah.

She felt compelled to help because of his age and the thought of "him being out there all on his own all night".

"It's really worrying and it has upset us, but it is nice how everybody's got together - I think it's brilliant," she said.

"Hopefully he gets home safe to his mum and dad."

Nick Johnson
in Brantham

Volunteers continue to turn up to join the search for Noah. Some are wearing high-visibility jackets, others have brought hiking gear and backpacks.

They have been told to register at Brantham's village hall, where they are given a map and a designated search area

The queue to join the search has been snaking around the village for the past couple of hours.

Police have welcomed the community support, but have urged volunteers to stay away from open water and other hazardous areas.

Charlie Jones
in Brantham

Image source, Family handout

I’m here at Brantham Leisure Centre where Supt Tom Pearse has just told the press and public that Noah's family are "extremely grateful" for the support which has been shown from the volunteers.

"I want to pass on the thanks of Noah's family. They are unbelievably grateful and blown away by your support,” he said.

Image source, Charlie Jones/BBC

Brantham Parish Council said 1,000 volunteers have been involved with the search so far and more continuing to arrive.

Charlie Jones
in Brantham

Image source, Charlie Jones/BBC

There are hundreds of volunteers still turning up at Brantham Leisure Centre, where Sarah Keys from Brantham Parish Council is co-ordinating the efforts.

She told the crowd that the next community briefing will be at 09:30 BST on Thursday.

She asked people to stop donating food and drink for volunteers as they are “inundated”.

Three-year-old Noah Woods was at a playground in Brantham, Suffolk, with a relative on Tuesday, but the pair "became separated" when they left before 15:00 BST.

It is reported that Noah ran off down an alleyway towards a housing estate.

The three-year-old is non-verbal, has partial hearing loss and is undergoing an autism assessment. He is wearing a white Bluey T-shirt, shorts and black Vans trainers with a white stripe.

Suffolk Police says Noah would not respond to his name being called.

The search efforts

Police officers have been searching overnight, extending the search area into the nearby town of Manningtree in Essex and the village of East Bergholt in Suffolk.

The force has deployed dog units, specially trained officers and its search efforts have been joined by HM Coastguard, the fire service and local search and rescue teams.

Hundreds of people have arrived at Brantham Village Hall to help efforts. Police have asked them to avoid open waters and railways in their searches as these areas require "special expertise".

"I just saw the news and needed to come down and help," Melissa Dark, a local mother-of-two, told the BBC.

CCTV release

This afternoon, Suffolk Police released CCTV of the last confirmed sighting of Noah in the park in Brantham at 14:37 BST on Tuesday.

The video shows the three-year-old spinning and running around a roundabout.

Latest from the police

Supt Tom Pearse of Suffolk Police said there was "nothing to indicate anything sinister or any element of criminality has taken place although we keep an open mind as to the circumstances".

He asked the public to check gardens, sheds and outbuildings, while asking drivers to review dashcam footage and residents to review CCTV from 14:37 BST on Tuesday onward.

People with information can call a dedicated police phone line on 0800 0516076.

Charlie Jones
in Brantham

Image source, Charlie Jones/BBC

After Supt Tom Pearse briefed reporters, he went downstairs to talk to members of the public who have gathered at the leisure centre.

"I give my heartfelt thanks to all of you coming out here today. From what I have seen, it is an unbelievably special community. You have demonstrated that by the way you have all come together.

"I want to pass on the thanks of Noah's family. They are unbelievably grateful and blown away by your support."